Homelessness Alliance advisory board

As the Partnerships Manager for the Homelessness Alliance at Crisis, I am dedicated to fostering collaborations that drive impactful change. Through the Homelessness Alliance, I work with employers to create inclusive workplaces using resources like the Best Practice Guide, that not only prevent homelessness for people in the workplace but support employers to provide new opportunities for prospective employees who are affected by homelessness. Together, we can end homelessness.

Being part of the Homelessness Alliance advisory board allows me to collaborate with a diverse range of industries to ensure they have the support needed to implement inclusive policies. Together, we are building a network of businesses committed to providing meaningful opportunities for people who are affected by homelessness.

Homelessness should be important to everybody in society because it affects all of us. The engineering industry faces many challenges including providing infrastructure that serves society as such the pledge should form a vital part of inclusive engineering. I am delighted to be on the advisory board to contribute to tackling this issue.

As the trade body for employment support providers ERSA promotes good work and career options. ERSA is involved in the Homelessness Alliance because we recognise the interconnectedness of employment opportunities and a secure place to live.

The Good Slice is a social enterprise with a simple message: eat good, do good. They combine a passion for pizza with a desire to create a lasting difference in food insecure communities around the world - from London to Malawi. Via a one for one model, for every pizza you buy, they provide a meal to someone in need. So far, they have provided over 5,000 meals to the children of Well-Wishes Nursery in Northern Malawi. Closer to home, they are partnered with Glass Door Homeless Charity - London's largest open-access support services network for men and women affected by homelessness. Their dough is the best in the business. Each light and crispy pizza is hand-stretched and blasted at 550 degrees in wood-fired ovens. Winner of the Hay Festival Sustainability Award 2019 - they use the finest, sustainably sourced ingredients. You can book them for your event right here!

Really honoured and excited to join the Homelessness Alliance Advisory Board. This initiative is long overdue and brings hope to so many who are trapped in a never-ending negative cycle of despair.

The homelessness alliance brings hope, training and opportunity and addresses one of our biggest social issues that’s been plaguing us for decades - “I can’t get a job because I don’t have experience, or a home”.

The Homelessness Alliance is partnering with the Phoenix Village Project and all its partners within the village to give opportunity and training, working together towards a brighter future.

Signing the Homelessness Alliance has marked the beginning of a crucial journey for our employees and stakeholders. The support from Crisis and the wider employer network has significantly enhanced our understanding of homelessness and shaped our strategy to assist employees at risk of homelessness and to support community stakeholders. From comprehensive training to an invaluable toolkit, Crisis has been instrumental in guiding us through this alliance. Businesses and organisations play a vital role in addressing homelessness and supporting communities. With the backing of Crisis and its partners, the implementation of the covenant principles has been both robust and rewarding.

We see our role on the Advisory Board as one that champions the right, responsible business environment where homeless people and those at risk of homelessness can truly flourish. Ensuring fair pay, fair hours and employee wellbeing with everyone heard and included will be critical for any organisation signing up to the Homelessness Alliance and we applaud those committing to this important cause.

Katy leads Big Issue Recruit, a specialist recruitment service which supports people with barriers to employment to become ready for work and access careers with forward thinking employers. Katy is a programme and change professional by background and has led a series of organisational transformations to support non-profits maximise their impact and revenue potential.

I’ve joined the board as an advisory member to share best practise and learn from others. It’s exciting to think that more companies will be committing to supporting people experiencing homelessness into sustainable employment, reviewing their workplace policies and raising awareness in the communities that they serve.

Working with Crisis  as a signatory of the Homelessness Alliance is strongly aligned with our Skills strategy. The partnership provides us with invaluable guidance and support on our journey of inclusive business practice. We've been able to connect with like-minded organisations, share best practice, and collectively drive positive change. The Alliance is not just a resource, but a catalyst for meaningful collaboration and impact.

Becoming a signatory to the Homelessness Alliance has enabled Hays to learn collectively and collaborate with organisations who also share a social purpose and strong social ethos. Through the Homelessness Alliance, Crisis have enabled us to pilot and share best practice from ‘Project Flourish’ where we make a positive impact to the employability of young people who may not have had the same opportunities as others.